Kenya – Smart driving licence to be launched in July – NTSA

The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) will launch a smart driving license with a view of replacing old paper-based ones to help in curbing rogue drivers on roads in two months time. This is according to the body’s Director of Road Safety, Njeri Waithaka.

According to Waithaka, the tech-based driving license will be fitted with an electronic chip similar to SIM cards that will contain vital details of the driver’s identity and records that can easily be retrieved electronically for reference.

“All Kenyans will be required to have the new license that will be launched in phases to give time to people who have renewed their tradition licenses for several months,” said the NTSA Director of Road Safety.

For the smart card, motorists will have to visit designated centers where their passport size photo will be taken and fingerprints and signature recorded on national database. This will be easy for NTSA to monitor every motorist.

She now says that the modern driving license will play a huge role in cracking down drivers who do not obey traffic rules.

Most road accidents in Kenya are as a result of careless driving, a menace NTSA is keen on reducing.